Web links

John Howard has apologised to Cornelia Rau and Vivian Alvarez
Solon after the Palmer report scathingly attacked the Immigration
Department's treatment of the two women but refused to promise
compensation.

More top officials are moving out of the department in a major
purge, following Mick Palmer finding major deficiencies in its
administration. The former police commissioner found "a serious
cultural problem" in the department's compliance and detention
areas.

He called for "urgent reform"  but made it clear that
existing senior officers could not oversee it.

Department secretary Bill Farmer fell on his sword at the
weekend, to become next ambassador to Indonesia.

Among Mr Palmer's damning conclusions from his inquiry into the
illegal detention of the mentally ill Ms Rau, an Australian
resident, and the mistaken deportation of Ms Alvarez Solon, an
Australian citizen:

- The department's culture is "overly self-protective and
defensive", unwilling to engage in "genuine self-criticism or
analysis".

- Immigration officers had exercised their "exceptional, even
extraordinary powers" for years without adequate training or
oversight  a situation "difficult to understand".

- The department's bad attitudes and leadership led to "serious
problems with the handling of immigration detention".

The inquiry found that while the initial detention of "Anna", as
Ms Rau called herself, as a suspected illegal immigrant was
reasonable, her later treatment was not.

Insufficient effort was made to identify her; she was held in a
Brisbane jail for too long; and she did not get proper mental
health and other help during her 10 months' detention, including
four months in Baxter. The experience of Ms Alvarez Solon confirmed
the problems exposed by the Rau case, Mr Palmer said.

In recommendations accepted by the Government, Mr Palmer urges
extensive changes in officers' training, and a sweeping overhaul of
practices and accommodation at Baxter, including allowing detainees
regular visits to Port Augusta.

He said an independent body should be set up to review health
and welfare services for detainees, and the department should
consider contracting out detainees' mental health care to the South
Australian Mental Health Service.

Mr Palmer also recommended an independent review of the
compliance and detention parts of the Immigration Department and an
expert group to advise Senator Vanstone on managing the detention
contract.

He found the current contract with the private operators of
Australia's detention centres including Baxter, Global Services
Ltd, was flawed and did not deliver the immigration detention
policy expected by the Government.

"Much is wrong with Baxter," Mr Palmer said. "Its operations
were hampered by a lack of executive management oversight and
concern from Canberra

The health care provided for Anna was inadequate, and failed to
meet her needs."

Mr Palmer said that an allegation "Anna" made of a sexual
assault at Baxter was not based on fact.

"Although an incident was reported, it did not involve assault
or have any sexual connotations," he said.

But he criticised the failure to refer the matter to the police.
He said the decision not to follow guidelines requiring police to
be informed of allegations of possible criminal offences "leaves
staff open" to allegations of misconduct.

"Both Cornelia Rau and Mrs Alvarez are owed apologies for their
treatment," Mr Howard told a joint news conference with his
minister. They were "victims of mistakes" by the department.

Two deputy secretaries of the department, Philippa Godwin and Ed
Killesteyn, will move to senior jobs in other departments.
Opposition immigration spokesman Tony Burke called for the
minister, Senator Amanda Vanstone, to be sacked, and called for a
royal commission.

However, Mr Howard said: "Palmer doesn't recommend a royal
commission, and we are not having one."

Pressed on compensation, Mr Howard refused to speculate, saying
that was a matter that should be dealt with "according to the
normal processes that relate to such matters".

Senator Vanstone said she had yesterday ordered the release from
jail of a pregnant New Zealand woman who was being held for 22 days
after being detained as an illegal immigrant.

The 28-year-old, who was on parole after five-and-a-half years
in prison for armed robbery, was picked up last month and ordered
by Immigration Department officials to be held in a Brisbane
prison.

Mr Palmer's colleague, Neil Comrie is to present a detailed
report on the Alvarez Solon case.